Forming tool



March 10, 1964 c. G. RAWLEY FORMING TOOL Filed May 8, 1963 INVENTOR. 50 05 6. fiwzg iimeA zys United States Patent 3,123,947 FORMING TOOL Clyde G. Rawley, RR. 4, Columbia City, Ind. Filed May 8, 1963, Ser. No. 278,932 7 Claims. (Cl. 51-187) This invention relates to a forming tool and more particularly to a tool for forming and finishing both curved and flat surfaces.

It is an object of my invention to provide a forming tool which can be used in forming and finishing'flat and curved surfaces, including concave, convex, and compound curved surfaces, which can be simply and easily adjusted into the desired curvature, and which can be economically manufactured largely from inexpensive sheet-metal.

In accordancewith the preferred form of my invention, there is provided an elongated, longitudinally flexible base. A pair of brackets are mounted on the base adjacent the ends thereof on opposite sides of a third bracket centrally mounted on the base. A pair of turn-buckles are swingably interconnected to the third bracket and each of the pair of brackets, whereby upon adjustment of the turnbuckles the flexible base can be flexed into the desired curvature.

Conveniently, a clip is mounted on the base between each base end and the adjacent one of said pair of brackets. Said clips have plates spring biased toward said base for bindingly retaining a strip of abrasive material or the like against the face of the base opposite the face upon which the brackets are mounted.

Other objects and features of my invention will become apparent from the more detailed description which follows and from the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a forming tool embodying my invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2, but showing the tool adjusted for use on a compound curved surface;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the tool shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an end elevation of the tool shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in the drawing, my invention comprises an elongated strip of sheet-metal forming a flexible base 1t) which can be longitudinally flexed. A pair of brackets 12 are mounted on the upper face of the base 10. Conveniently, each of the brackets 12 comprises a pair of laterally spaced sheet-metal stampings each having a transversely extending foot 13 fixedly mounted on the base and integral with an upwardly projecting leg 14 terminating in a finger 15 projecting toward the adjacent end of the base. A third bracket 16 is centrally mounted on the upper face of the base 10 and comprises a pair of laterally spaced sheet-metal stampings each having a foot 17 fixedly connected to the base and integral with an upwardly projecting leg 18.

A pair of individually controllable turn-buckles 20 interconnect the brackets 12 and 16. As shown in FIG. 2, the ends of the outer threaded arms 22 on the turnbuckles are curved downwardly, as at 23, and are swingably connected to transverse pins 24 mounted on the legs 14 of the end brackets 12 adjacent the upper ends thereof. Similarly, the ends of the inner threaded arms 26 on the turn-buckles are curved downwardly, as at 28, and are swingably connected to transverse pins 30 mounted on the legs 18 of the center bracket 16 adjacent the upper end thereof. Thus, by adjusting the turnbuckles 20, the base 10 can be fixed from a planar configuration into the desired curved configuration. The base is shown in FIG. 2 as flexed into a compound curvature, but it can also be flexed into simple concave and convex curvatures by proper adjustment of the turn-buckles.

The base face opposite the face upon which the brack- "ice ets 12 and 16 are mounted can be used for troweling and working plastic, cement, etc. However, in certain finishing operations it is necessary to smooth the work surface with an abrasive material such as sandpaper, emery cloth, or the like. To this end, the ends of the base are rolled upwardly and inwardly, as at 31, and I mount a pair of clips on the base 10 which releasably retain a strip of abrasive material 32 on said base. Each clip comprises a U-shaped sheet-metal stamping having a web 34 mounted on the base between one of the brackets 12 and the adjacent base end 31 and interconnecting a pair of upwardly projecting legs 36. An angulated plate 38 is swingably mounted on pin 40 mounted on the legs 36 and has one of its ends biased into engagement with the upper base face by a coil spring 42. As shown, the lower end of the spring 42, which rests against the base 10 between the adjacent bracket legs 14, is retained in position by a tab 44 formed on clip web 34.

The upper end of the spring 42 bears against the lower face of the plate 38 and is retained in position by a tab 45 struck downwardly from said plate. The bracket fingers 15 extend over the inner ends of the plates 38 and thus limit the swinging movement of said plates.

As shown in FIG. 2, the strip 32 is disposed along the lower base face with its work face presented downwardly and its ends wrapped over the base ends 31 so that they may be bindingly retained between said base and the plates 38.

I claim as my invention: 1. A forming tool, comprising a. an elongated flexible base, b. a pair of brackets mounted on said base towards the ends thereof, c. a third bracket mounted on said base between said pairs of brackets, and d. a pair of turn-buckles, each of which is swingably interconnected to one of said pair of brackets and said third bracket whereby upon adjustment of said turn-buckles said flexible base is flexed from a planar configuration into a curved configuration.

. A forming tool, comprising an elongated flexible base,

a pair of brackets mounted on said base towards the ends thereof,

0. a third bracket mounted on said base between said pairs of brackets, and

d. a pair of turn-buckles each having threaded arms angled downwardly and swingably interconnected to said brackets adjacent the upper ends thereof on axes transverse to said brackets,

e. the arms of one of said turn-buckles being interconnected to said third bracket and one of said pair of brackets and the arms on the other of said turnbuckles being interconnected to said third bracket and the other of said pair of brackets whereby upon adjustment of said turn-buckles said flexible base is flexed from a planar configuration into a curved configuration.

3. A forming tool, comprising an elongated flexible base,

. a pair of brackets mounted on said base towards the ends thereof,

a third bracket mounted on said base between said pairs of brackets,

d. a pair of turn-buckles, each of which is swingably interconnected to one of said pair of brackets and said third bracket whereby upon adjustment of said turn-buckles said flexible base is flexed from a planar configuration into a curved configuration, and

e. means for releasably retaining a strip of abrasive material against the face of the base opposite the face upon which the brackets are mounted.

means comprise a. a pair of clips mounted on said base between said pair of brackets and the ends of said base and bindingly retaining the ends of said strip of abrasive material against the face of the base upon which said brackets are mounted.

5. A forming tool, comprising a. an elongated flexible base having its opposed ends rolled upwardly and inwardly,

b. a pair of brackets mounted on said base adjacent the ends thereof,

0. a third bracket mounted on said base between said pairs of brackets,

d. a pair of turn-buckles, each of which is swingably interconnected to one of said pair of brackets and said third bracket whereby upon adjustment of said turn-buckles said flexible base is flexed from a planar configuration into a curved configuration, and

e. a pair of clips mounted on said base between said pair of brackets and the ends of the base and each comprising a pair of legs projecting upwardly from the base and swingably supporting a spring biased plate engageable with the end of a strip of abrasive material received over the adjacent base end for releasably retaining it on said base.

6. A forming tool as set forth in claim 5 in which a. each of said pairs of brackets have projections extending toward the adjacent end of the base in the path of pivotal movement of said arm for limiting the movements thereof.

7. A forming tool as set forth in claim 5 in which a. said plate is swingably mounted on a transverse pin interconnecting the legs on said clip, and

b. a coil spring is interposed between said plate and base and retained in position by tabs on said plate and means interconnecting the clip legs.

Beanchi et al. Mar. 25, 1929 Fetterolf Jan. 10, 1939 

3. A FORMING TOOL, COMPRISING A. AN ELONGATED FLEXIBLE BASE, B. A PAIR OF BRACKETS MOUNTED ON SAID BASE TOWARDS THE ENDS THEREOF, C. A THIRD BRACKET MOUNTED ON SAID BASE BETWEEN SAID PAIRS OF BRACKETS, 